This story is about pain and reconciliation: Amir Sommer is the name of the young writer who has a special “wall” within him. He grew up in Haifa as the son of an Israeli mother and a Palestinian father.

"That was sometimes nice, for example when we celebrated Holyukkah, the mixture of Christmas and Hanukkah," he writes in a guest article for SPIEGEL. However, the family often had to pretend: “When we were with Palestinians, it wasn't good to speak too much Hebrew or praise Israel, and even Israeli children's books were avoided. With Israeli friends, on the other hand, it was better not to speak Arabic and to downplay connections to religions other than Judaism.

And then the conflict came to them, "the Intifada took place in my house." Summer's mother survived a suicide attack on a pizzeria in Jerusalem and was never the same again, from then on even denying that the man who lived with them was the father of her son. Sommer's Palestinian father himself stalked the house like a ghost; Finally the separation followed.

Writer Amir Sommer

Photo: Christopher Brown

Sommer has now forgiven his parents, as he writes. He has lived in Berlin, his “safe home” for more than four years. The hummus restaurant Kanaan, which is run jointly by an Israeli and a Palestinian chef, helped give him hope again. And Summer has a girlfriend who learned both Arabic and Hebrew for him! So he accomplished something special in Berlin: He concluded a “peace treaty” with himself. You can read his moving essay here. 

What else was good this week – for the world:

Plea for more optimism - also in politics


In this week's SPIEGEL editorial, my colleague Maria Fiedler focuses on what she writes is the dangerous pessimism of the Germans, a mood that should give the government and opposition something to think about. Why are Germans so worried about the future? Germany is wealthy and the standard of living is high. But with war and crisis comes the feeling that things are no longer running smoothly in the country. Every train that is canceled, every company bankruptcy appears to be evidence of relegation. Is that justified? Fiedler calls for a positive vision from politicians that counteracts the gloomy mood. The parties would have to answer the question of how things can continue to improve for Germany and Europe in the future.

Data scientist: “We are living in the best of times.”


The climate crisis is causing many people to despair. But not Hannah Ritchie. The data scientist is convinced that never before has humanity had so many opportunities to live sustainably and in an environmentally friendly way. You can read the interview with her here. 

Majority of Germans would pay


meat prices for animal welfare: In Germany, too, awareness of the suffering of the animals we feed on has increased. According to a survey, the majority of Germans would pay more for meat if the animals could live in better conditions. If the topic of animal welfare interests you, I recommend this story from our archive. 

How Rome is preparing for a spectacle


A supposedly real nail from Jesus' crucifixion, thorns from his crown and half an INRI tablet: Rome is expecting a rush of pilgrims for the jubilee year of Jesus' crucifixion, which begins on January 1st, 2025. In St. Peter's Basilica, the papal altar is decorated with Bernini's canopy, hotels are being opened across the city and broken streets are being repaired, and 1,400 open construction sites are intended to make the chaotic metropolis "more livable," as Francis hopes. My colleague Frank Hornig reports from the eternal city.

Safari park attraction in England: Black bear ahoy!


A pond formed in the bear enclosure at the British safari park in Woburn after heavy rain. The gamekeepers had an idea to keep the curious black bears busy for a while: they got a swan boat to go exploring. You can see the pictures and a video here.

What’s good – for you:

What a midwife has to say about stable partnerships


The pink cloud of a happy family often dissolves in the postpartum period, writes midwife Kerstin Lüking in a guest article for SPIEGEL. She only experienced a couple having sex in the delivery room after the birth. Parents in particular desperately need love and sex in order not to lose each other as a couple. You can read her tips for everyday family life here. 

How can I deal better with crises at work?


Vera's employer slides from one crisis to the next: customers drop out, there are delivery problems, important colleagues quit. How can you confidently pursue goals again instead of just reacting? Tips from the career advisor.

Care products in the test: What really helps against acne?


Leah Luke

is an editor in the area of ​​nutrition, cosmetics and health at Stiftung Warentest. In the interview she explains where acne comes from - and gives tips on nutrition and skin cleansing. She also reveals which medications are effective in more severe cases. 

These 50 mobile games are particularly successful.


Do you like role-playing, strategy or puzzle games? Or action games and adventures? Here we present ten highlights in each category - with a focus on apps without advertising and additional purchases.

The good story: “Low mountain ranges can be enough to make you happy”

At this point I would like to recommend a wonderful story from my colleague Sandra Schulz about camping. Almost six years ago, Schulz and her family set off for the first time in a motorhome called the Monster. The trips make her happy, why?

»I think you can learn a lot about life when camping. You learn to tolerate the fact that what doesn't fit together comes together: the longing for freedom and proximity to your neighbor, the need for privacy and the publicity of the intimate, the desire for individuality and the laws of the tourism industry. And perhaps the most blatant contradiction: the desire for relaxation and vacation with the family," writes Schulz.

My colleague also tells the story behind her monster stories, about her pregnancy and her daughter with Down syndrome. One day she's sitting in front of the motorhome and wearing a T-shirt that says: "Life rocks when your home rolls." This sight also made Schulz happy - and reminded her of the old saying: "Low mountain ranges can be enough to make you happy." Schulz also recorded her intimate and often almost philosophical camping experiences in a book.

And otherwise?

Dietmar Stoian wrote us interesting news this week from the train to Bonn. He travels a lot by train, which isn't always particularly pleasant. However, Mr. Stoian had a special experience on the way from Frankfurt to Cologne: "The ICE arrived 140 minutes late, which was to be increased to a whopping 180 minutes over the course of the journey," he writes. So far nothing unusual. However, he then heard the train driver, who was trying very hard, say: "... and we apologize for the delay." She seemed to repeat the same thing at every subsequent stop. Mr. Stoian was surprised - and the words still had an effect. At some point he realized that it was actually about the “delay that had occurred”. But by then it was already too late. Thanks to his “Freudian interrogator,” Mr. Stoian was completely relaxed. He even thanks the railway for this basic course in “practiced deceleration”! So much goodwill should be rewarded with a publication here. With this in mind: We wish you a relaxing Easter!

Did you experience something motivating or entertaining? Feel free to send us your personal good news from the week by email to GuteNachrichten.Newsletter@spiegel.de - what good things happened to you, what nice things did you experience, see or hear? It can be something small or something life-changing. We will present another submission here in the next few weeks.*

Have a nice long weekend! And if you haven't signed up for this new weekly newsletter yet, you can order it for free here.

Yours, Nicola Abé, team and project leader of the “Global Society” project in SPIEGEL’s foreign department

(*By submitting a submission, you agree to publication - anonymously if desired - on SPIEGEL.de and all other SPIEGEL Group media.)

This article is part of the Global Society project

AreaWhat is the Global Society project?open

Under the title “Global Society,” reporters from

Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe

report on injustices in a globalized world, socio-political challenges and sustainable development. The reports, analyses, photo series, videos and podcasts appear in a separate section in SPIEGEL's foreign department. The project is long-term and is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

You can find a detailed FAQ with questions and answers about the project here.

AreaWhat exactly does the funding look like?open

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) has been supporting the project since 2019 for an initial period of three years with a total of around 2.3 million euros - around 760,000 euros per year. In 2021, the project was extended under the same conditions by almost three and a half years until spring 2025.

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Yes. The editorial content is created without any influence from the Gates Foundation.

AreaDo other media also have similar projects? expand

Yes. Major European media outlets such as "The Guardian" and "El País" have set up similar sections on their news pages with "Global Development" and "Planeta Futuro" respectively, with the support of the Gates Foundation.

AreaHave there already been similar projects at SPIEGEL? expand

In recent years, SPIEGEL has already implemented two projects with the European Journalism Center (EJC) and the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: the “Expedition ÜberMorgen” about global sustainability goals and the journalistic refugee project “The New Arrivals”, as part of this project several award-winning multimedia reports on the topics of migration and flight have been created.

AreaWhere can I find all publications on the Global Society?open

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